NSF NEA Workshop

This joint workshop between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to develop a national agenda for funding and collaboration integrating the arts and computing/information science. The event gathered 55 international thought leaders in the area. Attendees included leaders from the NSF and NEA, deans of arts programs, professors of computer science, nonprofit leaders, independent artists, and others advancing digital media and new forms of expression.

Over two days, the workshop group discussed such topics as hybrid methods in art/science/information technology research, barriers to successful collaboration across disciplines, and how to foster creativity-based technology research. Questions including what qualitative methods exist for measuring the success of technology-rich creative endeavors as well as ways to identify transformative, innovative, and/or emerging art practices that merit governmental support were also debated.

The workshop resulted in a series of concrete outcomes. Workshop attendees have created an online web repository to share results; produced a white paper for broad academic dissemination, developed a new funding model involving nongovernmental organizations, and outlined interdisciplinary tenure requirements.

The workshop was funded jointly by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1057908; Harrell, PI) and the National Endowment for the Arts.